Topeka, Kansas is uniquely positioned to support a wide variety of industries. From professional and financial services to food processing, Topeka and Shawnee County have the resources to help your company thrive.

The Topeka/Shawnee County Small Business Incentive is a matching incentive program that offers small businesses assistance in the areas of employee skills upgrades, equipment purchases and facility construction and renovation.

GO Topeka in partnership with Washburn University and Crimson Corporation formed the Center for Organizational Excellence that offers quality education and consultation services to organizations of all sizes.

Staff

Matt Pivarnik

President and CEO

Matt Pivarnik is president & CEO of GO Topeka. He joined GO Topeka in January 2016. He is a past Chairman of the US Chamber Institute for Organization Management’s National Board of Trustees, is past Chairman of the Board of Regents for the US Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management at the University of Arizona, is a graduate of the US Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management, has completed the program at the Center for Creative Leadership, is a Certified Chamber Executive, a Commissioner for the Certified Chamber Executive Program, has served on the American Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Executive Committee, serves on the President’s Advisory Council for Northeastern State University, was a member of the Tulsa Area United Way 2015 Campaign Cabinet, is past Chairman of the Board for Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce Executives and serves on Tulsa’s Junior Achievement Board of Directors.

Matt was the original founder of Tulsa’s Young Professionals, a progressive organization focused on the retention and recruitment of young talent and boasts over eight thousand members. Matt recently founded the Tulsa Small Business Connection, an organization for regional small businesses and founded MAKO, a regional educational conference for economic development and chamber executives from Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma.

Matt recently moved to Topeka from Tulsa where he was the executive vice president and COO for the Tulsa’s Future Economic Development Organization, Tulsa Regional Chamber, VisitTulsa, Tulsa’s Young Professionals, Tulsa Sports Commission, Tulsa Film and Music Commission and the Tulsa Small Business Connection.

Matt has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma.

Matt and his wife Wendy live in Topeka, Kansas with two of their three sons, Chase and Trey, who are eighteen and thirteen. His twenty-two year old, Zac, is a senior at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.

Who is your hero? And why?

My Dad. He overcame incredible obstacles in his life, beat the odds and was a fabulous employee, family man and father.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

I can live anywhere. I choose Topeka, KS.

What’s the most unusual place you have visited?

Vieques – A tiny island off of Puerto Rico’s eastern coast that was once used by the Navy as a bombing range and is home to secluded beaches and an amazing bioluminescent bay.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Leaving Santa Claus wings and whiskey. He really appreciates the change from cookies and milk.